I found a very loose cylinder head bolt on my 2002 Simplicity Conquest (16 HP Vanguard Twin). I have recently heard a noise like an exhaust leak, so when I was checking this out, I found the loose bolt.The engine shroud was the only thing keeping the bolt from vibrating all the way out. I also pulled the top engine cover, and cleaned the dirt and gunk from underneath. The flywheel and the ignition coils are very rusty. I cleaned them up a little, but they are going to need a thorough de-rusting in the future. I should also mention that I put a new voltage regulator on it a few weeks ago, after finishing mowing, and finding a dead battery on attempted restart, and I found a small shorting spring in the seat safety switch plug that wasn't "unshorting" when plugged in to the switch. I removed the spring, and this solved the intermittent problem of the engine dying as soon as I would let out the brake pedal, with the PTO disengaged, and while sitting on the seat. I am learning!

This is about a 3 week saga. Mowing around the garden and the mower on my 318 quit working(Neglect).

That's what you get when you run things without maintainence.

Spindle bearings were completely gone. Parked it and used the Ford 1500 with brush mower.

A week later I put the 318 in the garage and took the deck off and cut the bolts holding the spindle on with the angle grinder.

Bought a new spindle housing and shaft and put that back together. Mounted the mower last Friday night and mowed 1 minutes and the Tension spring broke. Took the mower off and went to John Deere and got a new spring Saturday morning, put it back together and started mowing. Mowed for a couple hours and Lyall from State Center stopped by. After he left I mowed about 15 minutes and the mower quit again. I had shredded the belt? It is supose to rain this afternoon so I will be putting it back on the 318 tonight.

Lessons learned, Trying to get by does not always work out!! I should have replaced the spring and belt while it was down the first time!!

This is about a 3 week saga. Mowing around the garden and the mower on my 318 quit working(Neglect).

That's what you get when you run things without maintainence.

Spindle bearings were completely gone. Parked it and used the Ford 1500 with brush mower.

A week later I put the 318 in the garage and took the deck off and cut the bolts holding the spindle on with the angle grinder.

Bought a new spindle housing and shaft and put that back together. Mounted the mower last Friday night and mowed 1 minutes and the Tension spring broke. Took the mower off and went to John Deere and got a new spring Saturday morning, put it back together and started mowing. Mowed for a couple hours and Lyall from State Center stopped by. After he left I mowed about 15 minutes and the mower quit again. I had shredded the belt? It is supose to rain this afternoon so I will be putting it back on the 318 tonight.

Lessons learned, Trying to get by does not always work out!! I should have replaced the spring and belt while it was down the first time!!

I have 3 mowers all capable of mowing I use each winter down time to refresh one. That way I have a main mower and a backup and a second backup. But by refreshing each mower every 3 years I have not needed to use the backups. (none are JD's)

I have 3 mowers all capable of mowing I use each winter down time to refresh one. That way I have a main mower and a backup and a second backup. But by refreshing each mower every 3 years I have not needed to use the backups. (none are JD's)

You make a good point Larry. And I try but got a little lax. Once I got the Ford 1500, I neglected the Gt's some and am paying for that.

I do have a backup machine, a Murray 22.5 Hp with a 52" deck. This is one of the heavier Rail Frame Models and has exceeded my expectaions beyond my wildest dreams. The first season I had it I used it to shred 5 acres of cornstalks(blatant abuse). But the drive pulley on the Hydro stripped. the pulley is back on and it needs to be put together. I'll be moving it into the garage tonight and finish putting it back together. When it is not mowing the wife uses it and the garden cart to carry things back and forth to the garden.

You make a good point Larry. And I try but got a little lax. Once I got the Ford 1500, I neglected the Gt's some and am paying for that.

I do have a backup machine, a Murray 22.5 Hp with a 52" deck. This is one of the heavier Rail Frame Models and has exceeded my expectaions beyond my wildest dreams. The first season I had it I used it to shred 5 acres of cornstalks(blatant abuse). But the drive pulley on the Hydro stripped. the pulley is back on and it needs to be put together. I'll be moving it into the garage tonight and finish putting it back together. When it is not mowing the wife uses it and the garden cart to carry things back and forth to the garden.

With the foot control hydro she likes it.

I think ---- and this is my opinion --- If you spend a few $$$ ($300.00 in my case) and maintenance time on the down seasion you will save $$$ and agervation durring the mowing seasion.

I think ---- and this is my opinion --- If you spend a few $$$ ($300.00 in my case) and maintenance time on the down seasion you will save $$$ and agervation durring the mowing seasion.
my 2c
Back-up machines are a MUST with 2+ acres to mow.

No doubt about that Larry. I have 1 1/2 acres in lawn out of 8.9. But I now have the Ford 1500 with a 5 ft brush cutter to do all but the lawn.

The Back up machine is back together finally!! I have a Murray "Yard King"(Walmart Special from 1999) Rail Frame Gt.

Last summer the drive pulley on the Tough Torq Hydro stripped the splines. I tore it down and never got it put back together. Last night I put it back together and put a new belt on it. It lives!!

I'm not going to put the mower on for about a week. It has to come off to get at anything?? So I'm going to use it w/o the mower for a litle while, pulling the garden cart and stuff and make sure everything is working right .

The amazing thing to me was after sitting almost a year, I put gas in it and the 22Hp Briggs only turned over about 4 times and fired up and ran smooth as silk!!

I never was a big Murray fan. But after shredding 5 acres of cornstalks the first year on this place, I realy like this one.

It started with the hydro on the Cub 682 going out last week while mowing. Luckily I had just bought a parts Cub 1711 and the rearend was good in it. So I swapped those out just in time to sell it on Friday.

With 682 out of the garage I was able to do some work to the new GT14 Wheel Horse. First I lubed, rerouted and hooked up the choke cable, works great and now I don't have to pull the hood evertime I cold start it. Next I pulled the deck off and pressure washed it. The deck tin is rough shape but the mechanical components are in amazing shape... PO must have put new bearings in. The hanger parts are shot though... so the mower deck is going in storage. I want to keep the GT14 as my loader GT anyway. Next I pulled the beat up drive belt guard off. It was bent in a few places and all but two of the spot welds on the belt guides were broken. drilled a couple of holes and re-spot welded them. Ever since I picked it up I knew that he parking brake lever was pulled up instead of pushed down. When it is pulled up there is supposed to be no tention on the idler pully... but there is anyway. So the drive belt must be shorter than it should be. Also I noticed that the lever is actually on backwards. Obviously there are a few things to work out but the GT is solid and it runs great!

After mowing last week (with the JD since the Cub laid down on me) I pressure washed it and the kubota's finish mower. After letting it dry for a bit it wouldn't start. Starter clicked over one good time and that was it. Turns out it was the solonoid went bad. Don't think that the washing had anything to do with it but yet again the parts Cub 1711 came through with a good part to keep me running. (I love parts tractors!!).

Last I put an hour meter (off of a parts GT) on the Kubota. It reads 8xx hours but all I need it to do is work...